As you could imagine, it has been very difficult to process such a tragedy and loss. It was costly, but fortunately, we were all safe. 1. But isn’t that a big jump to make to say that everything that takes place, both good and evil, happens by God and for His reasons? He doesn’t have it. A friend and teammate of my daughter has these words pinned on her Twitter account: “Everything happens for a reason” is not in the Bible but “God promises to work all things to good for those who love him” is. AMEN! First of all, God is sovereign. The loud thundering boom and bolt of fire terrified us all as it hit and damaged portions of our home. ILLUS: Someone who believed this kind of thinking once said to Dr. J. Vernon McGee, "I have been studying the Bible, and I believe I am absolutely safe in God's hand. "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully," (2 Corinthians 9:6). Yes, I am sure it did, but what reason and who initiated this life-threatening lighting strike? That’s why you can pray and seek God’s will when you face decisions, and it is why you can know God is with you every moment of the day. When I heard this speaker, who knew and loved God deeply, say “God is good. He is good! I am out for the rest of my basketball season due to an injury. A.  Matthew 7:16-18. Next time you hear (or say) the phrase “Everything happens for a reason” stop and examine the fruit. I would imagine that there is a reason for all the complex and traumatic things that take place in people’s lives, but is the reason as easy to explain away as this phrase implies? "God has a reason for allowing things to happen. Nothing happens without His willing it. In other non-Christian religious systems, there are a variety of purposes that various concepts of their gods would entail. Within Christianity, there is the concept of cause and effect. I was in a meeting and the speaker kept saying “God is good. “I sought whence evil comes and there was no solution”, said St. Augustine, and his own painful quest would only be resolved by his conversion to the living God. Read verse in The Message Bible Nothing happens without His willing it. Since God has all power, He can accomplish whatever he desires within our universe. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit … If you have any issues, please call the office at 385-246-1048 or email us at info@carm.org. What are some good "everything happens for a reason"/"God has a purpose for everything" bible quotes? God knows all things and is all-powerful, and it cannot be that God is surprised or that whatever occurs does so outside of the knowledge and control of the Almighty. 632 likes. Jesus said, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11. “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28. “It happened for a reason”, one might conclude. I really appreciate your feedback. I realize few people now would find this comforting. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the on… The result is the effect, and the reason it happens is the cause. He sets the time for birth and the time for death, the time for planting and the time for pulling up, Everything that happens to you has a reason—but there’s a way of thinking about this that empowers you in life. John 3:1 Bible Verses About Everything Happens for a Reason - Real. In an atheistic worldview where no God exists, occurrences are more or less random. What loving Father would want to do something like that? Kailey and Joshua. 1" by Jason Upton.  CCC 385 God is infinitely good and all his works are good. Was it? Suffering, TED talks, and Life’s Questions – Diligam Te, FRIDAY MORNING CATHOLICA EDITION | Big Pulpit, A Look into Heaven’s Stained Glass Windows, Catholic Writers- How To Avoid Being Dead Right, Words, the Blind Man, and the Road to Bethlehem, Bayes’ Theorem, Vampires, and the Bible, Light and Leaven: Off the Shelf 200 with Bishop Joseph E. Strickland, Catholic Writers- Avoid Being Be Dead Right, The Eucharist IS the Body, Blood of Christ, This Advent Prepare a Way for Him in Your Heart, Proposed Changes After the McCarrick Report. Matt Slick is the President and Founder of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry. Throughout my years as a Christian this verse has been my staple, my go-to passage. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. God is all-powerful and causes everything that happens in the world. Life just happens. God does not have … Ecclesiastes 3:11 Contemporary English Version (CEV). Does everything happen for a reason? Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Because of God’s sovereignty, it is easy to conclude that “Everything happens for a reason”. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:13. He knows everything about us: “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew: 10:30. Why would God want to strike His children with lightning? Suffering, trauma, and death are tough to grasp. Nothing surprises God, or he would not know all things. God is not arbitrary. d is good. By his passion and death on the cross Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive Passion. Though this is not in the same realm as God's decreed purpose, we can say that certain things occur because other things have happened. Scripture tells us that we will go through trials (see Romans 5:1-6 and James 1:2-5). For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: A Faithful Version To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens: GOD'S WORD® Translation Everything has its own time, and there is a specific … The floods declaring Seagraves a disaster area—God did it. It is probably one of the most misunderstood mysteries of our faith. Proverbs 16:4-14 God made everything with a place and purpose; even the wicked are included - but for judgment. Bible Verses About Everything Happens for a Reason "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." “But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show … He cannot give what He does not have…” It challenged my mindset. CCC 418 As a result of original sin, human nature is weakened in its powers, subject to ignorance, suffering and the domination of death, and inclined to sin (this inclination is called “concupiscence”). What does the scripture and the Church say on the matter? God knows all things that will occur and might occur in different circumstances. Was this tragedy in God’s plan? Since God created the universe, whatever exists does so because God causes or allows it to exist. It simply says that God is at work in all things. The KJV has as all things working together. Required fields are marked *. When my brother Dave died of a disease 22 years ago, some may have suggested that “It happened for a reason.” I imagine it did, but the reasons are more complicated than this quick quip may suggest. Construction is good in its time, but sometimes deconstruction is necessary (verse 3). I do. I would answer that question both yes and no. There are different non-Christian perspectives in the world. This means, as Psalm 139 says, each day was planned before one of them came to be. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I believed that everything that happened to me had a reason for it and if God is sovereign then He must be the one causing these traumatic circumstances to happen. He said that possibly God wanted the child to join Him in Heaven early in life rather than remain on earth longer and possibly lose his soul to sin. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) This is my favorite scripture. But as Christians, we must trust that God's ways are above our ways (Isaiah 55:9) and that the Lord is directing our steps (Proverbs 16:9). He knows all things (1 John 3:20), and since he created the universe, he created it knowing how all things would occur due to his ordination. The revelation of divine love in Christ manifested at the same time the extent of evil and the superabundance of grace. Copyright © A.D. 2018 Catholic Stand | Powered by Astra. God can sometimes seem to be absent and incapable of stopping evil. Jesus brings life. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us…. 2. Since God has all knowledge, then everything is known by God and must fit within his purpose. In this article, I will break down the philosophy of “everything happens for a reason” so that it becomes an empowering principle in your life. Suffering is evil, God is not the author of evil. Neither my wife nor I had ever seen a house struck by lightning before or since (we moved from that house soon after). Though this is not in the same realm as God's decreed purpose, we can say that certain things occur because other things have happened. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Impressive that you are rooted enough in God’s goodness that you had that perspective in the midst of such a traumatic experience. 1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! The fruit will tell you who the author of the reason is. He was helping a mother try to accept / understand why her young child had died. We must therefore approach the question of the origin of evil by fixing the eyes of our faith on him who alone is its conqueror. God does not have evil in Him. That was so powerful. Therefore, we can clearly see that one of the reasons things happen is because they are the natural consequences of our actions. Yes, it is true, “Everything happens for a reason”. The driver traveling at about 40 miles an hour was on the wrong side of the street and was not paying attention- he knocked me into oncoming traffic, broke my back, dislocated and broke my shoulder and my leg. Following a desperate plea while in an NFL Locker room, over 29 years ago, Bart encountered the Father's love. In Confucianism purpose is based on learning and denying oneself. The recent tornadoes in Oklahoma and North Texas causing great damage and loss of life—God did it. Luke 14:28-32 ESV / 30 helpful votes. Peace. Perhaps it is true that “Everything Happens for a Reason”, but that does not mean that God is the author of everything that happens. God’s sovereignty is in Co-operation with us, as mankind. CCC 385:  “God is infinitely good and all his works are good.”, 2 Samuel 7:28: “Sovereign Lord, you are God! Pingback: Suffering, TED talks, and Life’s Questions – Diligam Te. Watch the official lyric video for "God's Got A Reason For Everything" from the album, "A Table Full Of Strangers, Vol. I am looking for an inspiration Bible verse that explains how everything happens for a reason and that God has a purpose for everything, etc. He is Sovereign and all knowing. If you’ll read this verse in … God causes everything for a reason: the recent earthquakes in Nepal that killed over 6,000 people and left 100,000 homeless—God did it. God’s plan can be long term… Some elements of God’s plan can be seen in a single lifetime. “No” to those who mean that no matter what happens, God has a reason for either allowing it to happen, or, as some believe, actually making it happen. Did God strike our house with Lightning? “Yes,” because of cause and effect. "Bart is one of the most passionate men for God that I know.... His heart is for the Church to live into the fullness of who She's called to be." Bart is an instrumental member of the John Paul II Healing Center. The Bible says, “Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path” (Psalm 27:11). But to carry it out he also makes use of his creatures’ co-operation… For God grants his creatures not only their existence, but also the dignity of acting on their own, of being causes and principles for each other, and thus of co-operating in the accomplishment of his plan. Many have blamed God for the evil that takes place in our world, yet that is a too casual of a conclusion to make. God has a purpose for everyone. Is that true? Thank you – this essay really buoyed me today. This does not say or mean everything that happens to everyone has a reason planned or controlled by God. 11 God makes everything happen at the right time. God cannot give what He does not have. A key to this passage is found a few verses later: “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). He is a regular speaker at conferences and retreats, and has a deep passion to see people encounter the Father's love. If I put my hand in a fire, the effect will be that I get burned. It took me 25 years to get the story down after many people telling me I needed to write it. Other … It took some time, but the Holy Spirit started to bring about a major paradigm shift within me that began to change my view of God. Your email address will not be published. CCC 1505 …On the cross Christ took upon himself the whole weight of evil and took away the “sin of the world,” of which illness is only a consequence. I knew God was good because I experienced His goodness (I encountered His love and goodness in a profound way when I was 24 years of age and I experienced His goodness many times since), yet I also experienced hardships that formed beliefs that left me wrestling with God’s goodness. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this about suffering: CCC 272 Faith in God the Father Almighty can be put to the test by the experience of evil and suffering. God is just and fair, and stands for people getting what they deserve, so that the good prosper and the wicked are punished. God, the Great I Am, gives good gifts to His Children. Verse 4. I simply didn’t understand His inherent goodness due to my own faulty mindsets. If Scripture and the church say that God is good, then it must be true. God Has A Reason for Everything . However, we may not know what the reason always is. CCC 2280 Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. Yet none of us can ever fully understand all he has done, and he puts questions in our minds about the past and the future. Some verses that mention God’s reason for creating are more direct than others.  But not everything that happens is by God’s design and plan. If I lie, not only have I sinned, the consequences of lying can be severe. Many have blamed God for the evil that takes place in our world, yet that is a too casual of a conclusion to make. There is no reason and no purpose from a divine mind for the things that occur. God knows all about you, and He has a plan for you. God is good! Because God knows everything, He already knew your poor mistakes, your choosing of sin, and the consequences that will come to be because of these rebellious choices. Thus, everything happens for a reason. Biblical authors mention why God created in many places throughout the Bible. Did God cause this accident? The atheist perspective teaches that people must muddle through "accidents" and "incidents" and make the best of them. God cannot give what He does not have. However, there is one question that has always nagged me when sharing the truth of God’s sovereignty to others. It's a story about love, tragedy, sacrifice and the will to go on. God works within His people and their circumstances to bring good out of even evil. And since, God takes care of everything then nothing happens by chance. Yes, God is sovereign. Our house was struck by lightning twice within a two-year span. He and his wife, Brooke, have four children: Hannah, Gabrielle. He cannot give what He does not have…”, At first, I sarcastically dismissed it within my own heart and mind, yet the phrase kept repeating within me: “God is good. We have a choice concerning how we steward the Life He has granted us. - The Lord hath made all things for himself.So the Vulgate, propter semetipsum; and Origen ('Praef. To say that God has a plan is completely true. Is it good or evil? B. Jesus conquered sin, evil and suffering through His death and resurrection. It was easy to blame God for everything. Nov 15, 2014 - Image discovered by Jenna. God’s reason for creating might not be obvious with any particular verse, but some clear patterns emerge when taking all of these verses together. Just when you think you've got everything going for you, life takes a very unexpected turn.Even … He brought about so much good fruit from this horrible event for myself and those around me. Why would He want to do that? God Has A Reason For Everything, Wasilla, Alaska. Whose reason and for what purpose? There is no one like you, and there is no God but you.”2 Samuel 7:22, God knows the beginning from the end. I found one comment in a book by St. Francis d Sales (The Devout Life). Therefore, everything that God permits to occur he permits for a reason whether it be good or bad (Acts 4:27-28). I was struck by a car two years ago walking home from work. Bart has been involved in ministry for over 28 years and has vast experience across the Body of Christ. But not everything that happens is by God’s design and plan. It has not been a quick and sudden change, but I have been able to see the truth that God is good. Several factors help us know that everything happens for a reason: the law of cause and effect, the doctrine of original sin, and the providence of God. There is a big difference between things working together for good and God is the cause of all things. I saw online that its psalms 37:5 but in the bible psalms 37:5 is something else? The pain was and is to say the least not fun. Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. So, we could say that one of the reasons things happen is because there are natural consequences of what we do. The difference may seem subtle but it is significant. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Here is what the Catechism says about God’s sovereignty: CCC 306 “God is the sovereign master of his plan. I am so sorry to hear of your accident. As we “fix our eyes of our faith on him who alone is its conqueror” we discover words of truth like these words from Jesus recorded in the book of John: Jesus said, “The Thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10, “a tree is recognized by its fruit.” Matthew: 12:33. About 8 years ago, my wife four children, a friend and I were hanging out in our house when a massive storm rolled in and a bolt of lightning exploded outside our window. He shared this with me while processing this tragedy: “…I still don’t really get it and it’s still hard for me but I understand that it’s all in God’s plan and that everything happens for a reason….”. The NIV has God working in all things. Period. From the Christian perspective, everything happens for a reason. Insurance companies call damaging weather like this an “Act of God”. He cannot give what he does not have.”. That’s who He is and that is all He has to bring to those who love Him. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Learn how your comment data is processed. The proper activity at the right time, bringing about God’s purposes, is a beautiful part of God’s overall plan. 1:11). I immediately turned to God as I lay there in the road calling for His help and kind of scolding Him in my mind for allowing it to happen but I knew then as I know now God did not cause that because HE IS GOOD. Because we go through trials and there is very real suffering upon the earth, many believe that suffering is from God. The simple answer is, yes, everything happens for a reason, but keep in mind that things can happen due to a variety of reasons. This means that every event that occurs does so after God's plan. The reason why I believe there is no “Everything happens for a reason Bible Verse”, is because of the fact that we all have free will, and basically the expression gives off the idea that God causes everything to happen for a specific reason. In Hinduism with reincarnation, one's purpose is to grow in wisdom and attain Nirvana. Where does evil come from? It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. God cannot give evil. He has the power to do all things: "Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps" (Psalm 135:6). Bible verses related to Reason from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance - Sort By Book Order James 3:17 - But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. MATT SLICK LIVE RADIOCall in with your questions at 877-207-22763-4pm PST; 4-5pm MST; 6-7pm ESTWatch on FacebookPast Shows Radio PodcastRadio Show SurveySubscribe to CARM Radio, CARM wishlistWant to help CARM in a different way? Go If I break the law, there are consequences varying degrees as well. For “the mystery of lawlessness” is clarified only in the light of the “mystery of our religion”. God can't stomach arrogance or pretense; believe me, he'll put those upstarts in their place. He Cannot give what He does not have. I have a friend who lost his brother in a car accident. The Bible says that God, "...works all things after the counsel of His will," (Eph. It perfectly summarizes my life’s journey up until this point in one sentence. Did God cause our house to be struck by lighting? Everything that happens in your life is ALL part of God’s plan. Bart, Pingback: FRIDAY MORNING CATHOLICA EDITION | Big Pulpit, Your email address will not be published. Find images and videos about love, quotes and god on We Heart It - the app to get lost in what you love. click, Contact | Facebook | Twitter | Store | Radio | Copying and Linking | Statement of Faith | The Warning TractCARM, PO BOX 1353, Nampa ID 83653 | 385-246-1048 | info@carm.orgHosting by EverythingsA.com  Powered by the Connectivity.Engineer Network, Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry, CARM, PO BOX 1353, Nampa ID 83653 | 385-246-1048. In Islam purpose is derived from Allah who arbitrarily decrees heaven and hell for his followers. His heart is deeply broken. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life," (Galatians 6:7-8).  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. God is good. Bart has been married for over 20 years. That’s the question today from Ryan in Jacksonville, Florida: “Pastor John, I thank God for using A.W. Anonymous. It gave me an opportunity to evangelize among other things and to get to know the God who loves us in a more mature way. Jesus paid the ultimate price to redeem suffering. Therefore, since God works all things after the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:11), then we must conclude that God has a purpose for everything that occurs. We may never understand his wisdom but we simply have to trust his will" bible verse? We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. 6 Answers. Yes, it is true, “Everything happens for a reason”. Thanks Eddie. Within Christianity, there is the concept of cause and effect. 4 years … In order to know the author behind everything that happens we should be diligent to inspect the fruit: By their fruit you will recognize them. The evil one brings evil. But in the most mysterious way God the Father has revealed his almighty power in the voluntary humiliation and Resurrection of his Son, by which he conquered evil… It is in Christ’s Resurrection and exaltation that the Father has shown forth “the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe”. Jesus came to redeem suffering and give us abundant life. Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.”. This is a true story about an event that happened to me in 1989. It doesn’t say that everything that happens is good. Answer Save. But, as far as God ordaining and having a purpose for everything, we must, as Christians, acknowledge that God has a reason for everything that he allows to occur. Not the One who encountered me with His powerful love and mercy 29 years ago (and many times since). “Everything Happens for a Reason”. I will then share seven supporting reasons for taking onboard this principle. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Romans 8:28. How great is our God! Things do happen for a reason, but what is the reason and who is the author of everything that happens? But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. He is good. The Bible on Why God Created. He, therefore, cannot give evil. Pink’s book ‘The Sovereignty of God’ and your book ‘Spectacular Sins’ to reveal the biblical truth of Calvinism to me. His passion has remained the same since – to love and please God in all that he does. Yet no one can escape the experience of suffering or the evils in nature which seem to be linked to the limitations proper to creatures: and above all to the question of moral evil. Ecclesiastes 3:1 Context. In his encyclical “On Human Suffering” Saint John Paul II  reminds us that every suffering is an experience of evil (Paragraph 7). "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully," (2 Corinthians 9:6). Relevance. God’s sovereignty extends even to the lowliest of creatures: “Not one [sparrow] falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will” (Matthew 10:29, NET).